


duelism

by parabragun



Series: dualism [2]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: M/M, i had a lot more fun with this one!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2017-06-21
Packaged: 2018-11-16 21:10:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11261052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/parabragun/pseuds/parabragun
Summary: dynamic duo has a duel (or multiple)





	duelism

**Author's Note:**

> reading the first one isn't required but heavily preferred for context. i really like this chapter! idk why i always write better after midnight but here we go

The next day, the pair had gone about their daily routines. Yusaku, having gotten a semi-good night’s rest, was feeling better than usual, while Ai was left to brood over the quote-on-quote “betrayal” he felt the night before. Hanoi’s attacks seem to have subsided, for now, or at least weren’t coming while Yusaku was in school, so he went home and relaxed.

 

Yusaku plugged Ai back into his body and let him loose, although Ai didn’t do much rather than sit in a corner and build two decks, both of which he was going to use in a “plan” later. The other used this time to eat something, (for once), and check his phone.

 

Yusaku didn’t get texts very often. Actually, very often meaning, absolutely flooding his phone, like other people he knew. He only has 3 contacts, which is more than he had about this time last year, so he takes a little pride in that. One of his messages is Kusanagi’s daily “did you get home safe?” text. Yusaku does find it a bit embarrassing, but he can’t really blame him considering Kusanagi’s his only guardian. Plus, it’s become so routine Yusaku would worry if he didn’t receive one every day.

 

He took about 2 seconds of his time to type a quick “yeah” before checking back. The other is a message from Aoi, presumably something about Hanoi. Or maybe sending him a post about baby goats. The odds for either were even on just about any day of the week. He figures he can save that for later, but he makes a mental note to _promise_ to check back. The last one is a daily motivational text from Go sent at...5:30 AM? Why that early, and how did Go even have his number in the first place? He asked Aoi about it, but she said she has no clue either. He figures it helps even a bit, although he would never, _ever_ , admit it.

 

An hour passes, Yusaku’s since responded to Aoi’s text, eaten lunch, and is now sitting at his worktable, fiddling, working on some personal projects he had taken up. Ai was, up until now, still silent, so Yusaku expected it would be a slow day with minimal headache-inducing events. What he _didn’t_ expect, however, was a deck of cards being thrown directly in his face a few moments after.

 

“ _What_ are you--”

 

...Okay. Phew. Breathe, Yusaku, breathe. No need to get angry, that’s just Ai being… Ai. He got out of his chair to pick up the scattered cards that were tossed at him. While doing so, Ai brought up a chair and started setting up for a… oh. Oh. It all makes sense now.

 

Yusaku settled back in his chair and set up his side a little before speaking. “That’s not how you ask someone for a duel, Ai.”

 

No reply.

 

“I sure as hell didn’t program _manners_ into you, although God, I wish I did, but you should know better right?” Yusaku felt like he was talking to a toddler.

 

He braced himself for whatever sort of rebuttal Ai came up with, but it never came. Ai looked down at his cards in what looked like shame, then moved his cards to cover his face when he made eye contact, clearly trying to hide it. How guilt-inducing.

 

“Well... let’s just duel, that’s what you wanted, right? Challenge accepted.”

 

Yusaku couldn’t help but grin when Ai’s whole body perked up in his chair and his smug look was put back on his face.

 

“Aaand just for the record, this duel is payback for when you fell asleep on me last night!”

 

“You mean me finally fixing my sleep schedule?”

 

“I was left alllll alone!! You even turned off Roboppy for the night! So harsh. So cruel, Yusaku.”

 

“Whatever you want but… can I at least use my own deck and not one from like, ‘Spell Ruler’?”

 

Ai looked a bit offended. “Oh, what, you gotta have your fancy Cyberse archetype deck to duel~? I didn’t take you for someone that weak, Yusaku.”

 

“Oh you wish. You’re just jealous you don’t have your own ‘fancy Cyberse deck’.” That was a lie. Yusaku knew he had his own deck, but he doubted he would reveal it right away, and especially not over a squabble like this.

 

“Additionally,” Yusaku resumed, shuffling his deck. “I could beat you with any deck I’m given. An AI could never match the strategy of the human brain.”

 

“Huhuu, we’ll see about that. Now I _gotta_ win!” Ai held up his hand (facing-back of course, he isn’t that stupid), attempting to taunt the other.

 

There was a moment of silence. As if time had stopped in its tracks. The atmosphere had changed. Yusaku and Ai were locked in gazes, both with grins on their faces. They were dueling to prove something, to get back at each other, yes, but above all, they were dueling for fun. Isn’t that the original purpose of Duel Monsters? Yusaku had… forgotten.

 

“Duel!”

 

**Author's Note:**

> don't ship adults with minors


End file.
